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35 denim style icons

"I wish I had invented blue jeans", said Yves Saint Laurent, and with good reason. The humble denim jean has gone from workman's overalls to a fashion icon - but who helped make it a wardrobe staple? We count down the most iconic denim style icons and moments in denim's fashion history, from Marilyn Monroe in boyfriend jeans to quirkier fashion choices (Britney and Justin, anyone?).

Vote for your favourite in the gallery below, and tweet us @StylistMagazine if we've missed your icon off our list...

Nineties denim at its best comes courtesy of cult teen show 90210. They're all wearing jeans in this picture, and there were classic denim moments throughout - like Kelly's polka dot cut-offs, and Brenda's super cool high-waisted jeans.

Kate Moss already had denim icon status due to her breakthrough ads for Calvin Klein back in the 90s. But her denim influence was proved when she made skinny jeans the style to wear in the noughties. Shots like this convinced legions of jean-lovers to ditch their bootcuts and switch to skinnies, preferably with a ballet pump.

When jeans only came in three sizes, the trend for skin-tight jeans in the 1980s meant legions of denim addicts sat in a cold bath, waiting for their jeans to 'shrink to fit. The image below became iconic.

Audrey Hepburn gets all the style icon plaudits for her role in Breakfast at Tiffanys, but we like it when she stripped off the little black dress and pearls, and sang Moon River in a pair of blue jeans.

The Queen of Pop has been seen in many denim styles over the years (jeans and a tracksuit top, anyone?) but we thought her patched jeans for the American Pie video (during her hippie, Ray of Light years) were perfect.

In 1981, at the tender age of 15, Brooke Shields appeared in an ad for Calvin Klein jeans, said "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins", and caused mass uproar/sparked the huge trend for designer jeans.